Express your love with these healthy Valentine’s day recipes

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and we’re all thinking of ways to surprise our loved ones. Instead of the usual chocolates and candlelight dinner, why not surprise your partner with a home cooked meal. It’s personal and far cheaper than jewellery for sure!

We give you 3 delicious recipes that are sure to impress and make you the star of the night.

1. Almond date energy hearts

These are easy and quick to make. The best thing is that you can modify the recipe to include extras that you may have in your pantry, e.g. – dry fruits, nuts, chocolate, desiccated coconut, etc.

Ingredients

• 300 gms almonds
• 750 gms seedless dates
• 50 gms chocolate chips
• 50 gms shredded coconut, optional
• 200 gms raisins, optional

Method

1. In a food processor, pulse dates and almonds together till they blend to form a ball. Adjust a number of dates and almonds if needed.
2. Add in the optional ingredients as desired. The mixture should come together without being too sticky or too dry.
3. Press mixture into a tray that’s been lined with butter paper to form a layer that is roughly ½ to 1 inch thick.
4. Chill for 2 hours.
5. Remove from tray and cut into squares or hearts with a cookie cutter.

2. Red berry celery smoothie

“Green” smoothies are one of the healthiest ways to kick start your day. The best thing about this smoothie recipe is that it’s got all the goodness of a green smoothie and yet maintains a delicious fruity flavour, perfect for a quick weekday Valentine breakfast.

Ingredients

• 5 stalks celery
• 2 bananas
• 1 large apple
• 2 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup ice

Method

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend till all the fruit has been pureed.
2. Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder id desired and serve immediately.

3. Valentine’s day cookies

Just because they’re cookies does not mean that they cannot be healthy. This recipe pulls out all the swaps – natural sweetness from honey, fibre from whole wheat flour and protein from peanut butter – to make this a healthy compromise on the otherwise high-calorie snacks available on this day.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup wheat germ
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips or gems
• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup peanut butter
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C.
2. Sieve together the flour, wheat germ and baking soda.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix butter and honey.
4. Add egg and vanilla essence.
5. Mix in the flour mixture a little at a time till fully incorporated.
6. Scoop out the mixture onto a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes.
7. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Source – www.greatist.com